Photograph info: This photo was taken last night during our annual Cub Scout Blue & Gold Banquet. It's a fun and interesting evening -- delicious potluck meal, dessert auction, skits by the kids, a ceremony with awards and badges and an appearance by the great Akela himself, all within the extraordinary atmosphere of the local Masonic lodge.

"Akela, the great gray Lone Wolf, who led all the Pack by strength and cunning, lay out at full length on his rock, and below him sat forty or more wolves of every size and color."
—Rudyard Kipling, The Jungle Book

Camera settings and post-processing: Shot with the Canon EOS 5D and the Canon 85mm f/1.2L lens at f/1.8, 1/200s, ISO 1600. White balance and curves adjustments.

Thank you for visiting Durham Township!

--Kathleen

WHEW! for a moment I thought you were documenting some new "light the flag" ceremony--(surly there is no Piro-Patriot Badge now!)--but there does look to be a stack of dollar bills on the table. Perhaps there's 'bout to be a Civics-101 lesson in the proper functions of governments, and they will show how to make some people happy by burning the money instead. I'm just happy they aren't burning the flags, although that makes some people happy too.... This shot also reminds me of how well the Scout's motto serves the photographer equally well as you so perfectly demonstrated in the recent "Got Milk?" shot!

Hey Websters, I also noticed we can see Kathleen in the mirror on the wall as she lines up the shot. Nice outfit Kathleen, but I liked the "Hang'm High/Back to the Future" look much better! Perhaps some day we should discuss fashion tips over a whiskey and cigarillos! (Or milk and corn muffins--your call.)

A wonderful moment captured forever!

And thank you for the Akela info...no kids and a long time since my 51 year old kid brother was a "cub"... It is a beautiful quotation.

Lens envy!! Great shot.

Fantastic light and mood.

That brings back so many childhood memories. Beautiful colors, and the lighting is so well done.

Whoa! That story about Akela makes me want to go join this group and be taught by her (him). Great shot and a beautiful memory for future years.
The child in the photo looks a lot like you in your farm photo outfit.

Very nice shot of one of the classic ceremonies of the traditional Blue and Gold Banquet. This brings back memories of when my boys were Cubs and I was a Den Leader. My youngest is starting his fourth year of Boy Scouts and is working on his Life rank badge (one below Eagle Scout) and will be working this summer at a BSA summer camp as a counselor-in-training. It's great to watch them grow from little "Cubbies" and into responsible young men. Just curious what rank your Cub Scout is (unless that is him in the photo, then I can tell he's either a first-year or second-year Webelo) and when he might be crossing over to Boy Scouts.

Well I was a Girl Scout so we did similiar things. Great shot and wonderful lighting. Your camera is the bomb as far as shooting in dim light goes!!

Is it snowing there? Take a few March Snow photo's tomorrow if you can =)

Kathleen went to the banquet, it was a great night out.
It honored those working hard to be a Cub Scout.
Candles are lit with much concentration
And the words in his hand might be the next presentation.
Awards and badges and quite a lot of fuss,
All from the pack that follows Akela, Canis lupus.

I like how they both focus on the candl... Colors are great, very warm: I love it!

You really captured the moment! Great shot.

Russ did scouting for a number of years. He made it to Star rank when he had to choose between Youth Orchestra and Scouting because they conflicted...he chose Orchestra. He really missed Scouting though...he just couldn't fit it in the schedule.

It is interesting how varied the ceremonies are between different troops and councils. We were in Patriot Path Council Troop 80 and they had what the called the Coup Council...it was a very interesting ceremony, very elaborate. I remember those dinners well...it was fun and the food was pretty good too.

This is a beautiful photo of a very traditional moment. He is a Webelo if I remember the neckerchief and patch correctly right?

Russ and Laurie: My cubbie is still a bear - this is another member of our pack who is a Webelo.

Jody: Yes, we nearly a foot of snow over the last 24 hours - I just posted a new shot from today.

Here's another - it's an extremely large version of a shot taken from my porch at 11.45 this morning:

http://www.durhamtownship.com/March0209.html

Wow, the porch view via your link above is like a dream. Perfect. Love getting weather reports in pictures! (We are having days in the low 50s with a spring shower or two.)

Great shot! and an excellent way to celebrate scouting and no matter how different our group traditions are this photo reminders us that we belong to a WORLD organization.
As we look forward to 2010 and the celebration of "100 years of Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting" I hope that I can be there at the right time to take a good shots like this.
I will always be thankful to Baden-Powell's sister Agnes for her courage to succeed and I wish to acknowledge her during the celebration of International Women’s Day on the 8th March.

K- I love this shot. Really brought me back to my own blue & gold banquets in Unionville, PA. Thanks -